Grand Routier

Benjamin Berkeley Hotchkiss was an American who moved to France at the end of the 19th century and founded a cannon factory near Paris in 1871. The company developed a five-barreled revolver cannon, which was produced from 1874 onwards. The company grew to become one of the largest manufacturers of machine guns and cannons in France. In 1903, the company entered the automobile business, and the first Hotchkiss automobile had a four-cylinder engine with a 5.7-liter displacement and 17 hp. The entire design was based on the Simplex Mercedes, which had a lasting influence on the entire automotive industry from 1901 onwards. Hotchkiss continued to develop the vehicles rapidly and, alongside Renault, was one of the first car brands to convert the previously dominant chain drive to a shaft drive. Hotchkiss was successful both in racing and in the luxury vehicle segment. The brand logo with two crossed cannons indicates the company’s origins. In the period between the two world wars, Hotchkiss belonged to the select circle of French luxury brands such as Avion-Voisin, Bugatti, Delage, Delahaye, Panhard et Levassor, and others. Just like these luxury brands, Hotchkiss also clung to the traditional right-hand drive, even though mass-produced manufacturers such as Citroën, Renault, and Peugeot had already switched to left-hand drive in the 1920s. Incidentally, the famous Opel Laubfrosch also had right-hand drive until 1931. Hotchkiss vehicles were known for their first-class workmanship and attention to detail. As a manufacturer of large luxury cars, Hotchkiss faced a difficult time in the postwar period. The Anjou model was launched in 1950, and 5,465 units were produced until 1954. The vast majority of Anjous were equipped with a 2.3-liter four-cylinder engine and bore the designation Anjou 1350. The much more powerful models, with a 3.5-liter six-cylinder engine, were called Anjou 2050. Both variants were available with one or two carburetors. The cars with twin carburetors bore the additional designation Sport. The Anjou 2050 Sport was the top model, featuring a very powerful engine with an unobtrusive yet spectacular sound. Its 125 hp made the car one of the most powerful sedans on the European market at the time. King Baudouin of Belgium was chauffeured in such a car. An Anjou could optionally be ordered with the semi-automatic planetary gearbox from Cotal. With this gearbox, you only need to use the clutch pedal when stopping and starting, because while driving, gear changes are carried out exclusively with a small lever that electrically controls the clutches in the planetary gearbox. It works incredibly well, and you get used to it very, very quickly. Watch our video on YouTube, where you can also hear the enchanting sound of the engine.

This Hotchkiss Anjou 2050 Sport with a semi-automatic Cotal transmission was delivered to Great Britain in 1950. However, this is not the reason for its right-hand drive, as Hotchkiss only manufactured right-hand drive vehicles. In 1993, the vehicle was sold to Switzerland, where it underwent a comprehensive restoration in 2009. Documentation is available. In 2018, the sedan was sold to an engineer and enthusiast of fine and rare sedans (e.g., Lancia Aurelia, first-series Aston-Martin Lagonada, first-series Maserati Quattroporte, etc.) in Brandenburg. This collector and his engineering firm were involved in the development of airbags for various car companies in the 1980s and 90s. Now he has to downsize his private museum due to the sale of one of his halls, and since he has been a customer of ours for almost 20 years, he has entrusted us with this automotive treasure to market. While the car was in his care, he had driven it frequently, but always with red license plates, so no German documents have been issued yet. However, the Swiss documents are, of course, present, and nothing stands in the way of registering this French Grand Routier in Germany.

We subject each vehicle to a systematic inspection – from the bodywork to the engine and electrical system. Based on this, we prepare three offers. You decide which offer suits you best.

Economy – €54,000
Operating and roadworthy vehicle in authentic original condition. Ideal for enthusiasts who want to further develop their classic car themselves.

Standard – €57,000
Ready to go with all the requirements for registration in Germany – of course with a H-certificate. Perfect for those who want to drive right away and enjoy.

Supreme – €58,000
Optimized classic car in excellent technical and cosmetic condition, with cavity and underbody protection with wax.